Dehler 29
Dehler · Judel/Vrolijk · 1997
Updated
The Dehler 29 is a 8.75 m displacement racing yacht designed by Judel/Vrolijk and built by Dehler, first launched in 1997. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 37% of the designs it races against. It comes alive as the breeze builds, and gives time away in the light.
Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 37% of the boats it races against.
101st of 159 in its class.
This design has been found in real race results — 35 starts across 7 events — not only in measurement files.
Length
8.75 m
28′ 8″
Beam
3.02 m
Draft
1.71 m
Displacement
3.5 t
Sail area
45 m²
On the podium
Where a Dehler 29 finishes when she goes racing.
On the podium
20%
of 35 starts by 4 boats
Wins
3%
Read from 35 starts by 4 boats between 2023 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.
Recent regattas
The latest events where a Dehler 29 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.
Viittakari Cup2026
Nordstadtwerke-Cup2026- Im-Jaich-Cup2026
- Mustfinnö2026
- Miar2026
Raced one we are missing?
Report a regattaRound the buoys, or offshore
A short windward-leeward and a night at sea ask different things of a boat. Here is how this one does in each.
Round the buoys
—
Not enough data yet: no races of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.
Offshore & coastal
—
Not enough data yet: no races over 10 NM carry a published distance.
Who she races against
The designs a Dehler 29 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.
Also met, too few times for a figure:
J/99 (6 meetings), X-342 (5 meetings), Finngulf 41 (4 meetings), Ridas 31 (3 meetings), Pogo 36 (2 meetings), Seascape 27 (1 meeting), Sun Fast 36 (1 meeting), J/80 (2 meetings), Sun Fast 32 (1 meeting), F & F 95 (4 meetings), J/110 (1 meeting), Dehler 34 (Judel/Vrolijk) (2 meetings), First 300 (1 meeting), Stadt 34 (1 meeting), Winner 11.20 (1 meeting), Dehler 33 (1 meeting), UFO 22 (1 meeting), Dehler 38 (Judel/Vrolijk) (1 meeting), First Class 8 (1 meeting), J/92 (1 meeting)
Some of the boats it races against
How the Dehler 29 has fared against each of them, boat against boat on corrected time. Ordered by how often the two meet, not by who wins.
Speed at every angle
The shape of this design's speed, drawn from the measured fleet. Pick a wind and watch it stretch.
Upwind VMG
4.72
38°
Beam reach
7.62
90°
Broad reach
8.23
135°
Downwind VMG
7.26
170°
Speed in knots at 20 knots of true wind. Green marks the angles that pay: the closest useful beat and the deepest run worth sailing.
Where it wins and where it pays
Every boat is judged against its own measurements — length, weight, sail area. The quicker those say it should be, the more it has to deliver just to break even. Going fast is not enough: it has to go faster than its own numbers promised.
There is no obvious weak spot here. It rewards preparation and crew work more than it rewards picking the right day.
Where it gains
Its best ground is on the beat when it blows, where it does more than its size and sail area promise. It holds that advantage on the beam as well, so the gain is not down to one leg of the course.
Where it pays
There is no condition where it falls away badly, which is worth something over a season of mixed weather.
Above the line it delivers more than promised and gains on the fleet. Below, it falls short. Move the wind: plenty of boats sit on one side in the light and the other when it blows.
Full width is 0.4 kn either way.
At 10 knots this design makes back more than its rating asks on the beam reach.
How fast is a Dehler 29
Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.
| Angle | 6 kn | 10 kn | 14 kn | 20 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beat VMG | 3.02 | 4.16 | 4.64 | 4.72 |
| 52° | 4.66 | 6.12 | 6.56 | 6.69 |
| 60° | 4.94 | 6.31 | 6.75 | 6.91 |
| 75° | 5.15 | 6.48 | 6.96 | 7.27 |
| 90° | 5.17 | 6.64 | 7.15 | 7.62 |
| 110° | 5.13 | 6.68 | 7.37 | 8.20 |
| 120° | 4.94 | 6.60 | 7.33 | 8.39 |
| 135° | 4.41 | 6.25 | 7.10 | 8.23 |
| 150° | 3.76 | 5.69 | 6.77 | 7.81 |
| Run VMG | 3.25 | 4.96 | 6.21 | 7.26 |
How they are set up
The range each sail spans across the fleet.
Roughly half carry a folding propeller. Crew weight is declared around 500 kg.
Rigging
Dehler 29 rig and sail dimensions
A Dehler 29 carries 11.10 m of mainsail hoist on a 4.00 m boom, a forestay 11.10 m above the deck and a 3.50 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 14 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.
Rig
Sails
The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 47 to 56 m² depending on bowsprit and set-up. Before ordering a sail, read the figure on your own measurement record rather than the typical one for the design.